Employee goes on stabbing rampage at Tallahassee workplace, injuring multiple people
An employee at a commercial building supply company went on a stabbing rampage inside the Tallahassee workplace Wednesday morning, injuring multiple people, according to police. Interim Tallahassee Police Chief Steve Outlaw said the suspect, Antwann Demetris Brown, 41, arrived for work at Dyke Industries around 8 a.m. and was involved in some kind of verbal dispute.
Brown was asked to leave and clocked out at 8:20 a.m., but shortly afterwards began stabbing co-workers with a folding knife. Outlaw couldn't speak to a motive, but said Brown was apparently targeting specific people when police received a 911 call around 8:33 a.m.
CBS affiliate WCTV reports there are five people being treated at Tallahassee Memorial Hospital. A hospital spokesperson told the station one victim is in serious condition, two are in fair condition and two are in good condition.
Outlaw described "heroic" actions by employees who armed themselves with "whatever they could" and attempted to keep the suspect at bay until officers arrived. Brown was able to flee the building, but was taken into custody by responding officers.
Brown is currently being interviewed, Outlaw said. He had been employed with the company for about three-and-a-half months, was not fired and had no apparent disciplinary history with the company, Outlaw said.
Tallahassee Police spokesman Damon Miller earlier told the Tallahassee Democrat multiple agencies were processing a "very big scene" with more than one property.
The Democrat reports there was a frantic scene outside as family members gathered trying to obtain information about their loved ones. Marquitta Campbell told the paper her husband Bobby Riggins Jr. arrived for a job interview about 8:30 a.m. and that she was on the phone with him when she heard a commotion.
"The next thing I know, he said, 'Baby, I've been stabbed five times,'" Campbell told the paper. "'I've been stabbed.'"
She said her husband later called her from the hospital to tell her he had internal bleeding and was going into surgery.
Dyke Industries distributes residential and commercial building supplies, such as doors and windows, according to the company's website. A company representative didn't immediately return a request for comment.
Officers who responded to the stabbing had been attending the city's September 11 memorial service. Outlaw said "you can't help but wonder" whether the stabbing was related to the anniversary of the terror attacks, but said there was no apparent connection.